Decision details

Contracts for certain supported bus services expire at the end of August 2014.  Following a competitive tender award of replacement contracts is recommended.

(1) To AGREE that Appendix A constitutes exempt information according to the categories set out in the Local government Act 1972 (amended Schedule 12A paragraph 3) because it contains information which relates to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and therefore that the public interest is best served by exemption of the information;

(2) To CONFIRM the changes to contract services as set out in the report;

(3) To NOTE the tender prices received, as set out in exempt Appendix A of the report; and

(4) To AGREE the award of contracts as recommended in the report.

The new contracts reflect the council’s determination to provide bus services when people need them, to and from locations they want to be, within the budget available to the Council.  It has been possible to improve or save a number of bus services as described in the report.

Consideration was given to retaining the existing timetable of 768 services, but it is considered inevitable that the re-routing of the more frequent 379 service between Clutton and Midsomer Norton Tesco and Bath will reduce patronage on the 768 service.

A reduced timetable was considered for the evening 267 service featuring withdrawal of the last bus from Bath to Frome at 2310.  This service is largely used by residents of Somerset, but there would be only a small financial saving and therefore the current timetable of services is retained.